Motivation key to fitness edge In Meredith

Friday

With more than 30 years of fitness training under her belt, Gina McGuire certainly has the tools needed to make people meet their New Year's resolutions.

The longtime Lakes Region residents believes people must see working out as a means of being a more whole person if they are to be truly happy, though she admits that fitting into her swimsuit is a nice by-product of the commitment.

"A fit body leads to a fit mind ... the best gift I can give is the gift of self-esteem," explained McGuire.

McGuire has served as a fitness instructor for the past 30 years, but she doesn't limit herself to the gym at The Fitness Edge in Meredith where she leads classes.

She works as a full-time school nurse at Woodland Heights Elementary School in Laconia and recently embarked on a new business venture that has her owning The Bod Squad LLC — a fitness consulting firm.

McGuire is recognizable for her weekly fitness show, "Fitness Made 4 You!" which is broadcast everyday on Lakes Region Public Access Television's Channel 25 and she recently completed a new DVD entitled "Define it: Body Toning Basics."

The mother of four loves to exercise, but she finds her greatest joy is helping others to meet their fitness goals.

McGuire said helping people to get fit and "find out who they are" keeps her motivated and with the new year just around the corner, she expects another groundswell that usually has her classes packed with people looking to turn over a new fitness leaf.

"After New Year's, my classes are packed for four to six weeks," said McGuire, noting that people then start to disappear until spring or fall when students return to school.

When asked about her New Year's resolution she said she is pushing herself and others to pursue "Mission Possible 365" — a term she uses to described her commitment to working out at least 30 minutes a day everyday for the next year.

The longtime nurse and fitness trainer said people need to exercise every day to keep a healthy mind and body, but she said the means of going about it can be different for every person.

McGuire said being asked to run to get in shape makes her cringe, but she noted that others find great joy in it.

She recently led a class at Laconia Adult Education that saw students going through an entire workout while seated in a chair.

While advertisements may seek to convince people that the most state-of-the-art home gyms are the best option for those looking to shape their bodies, she says motivation is the key to a healthy lifestyle, with methods varying from person to person.

She said the most expensive piece of exercise equipment is useless if someone hates using it and it becomes a "planter."

"We all have to find our own thing," said McGuire.

McGuire works with young children, expecting mothers and seniors with each group brining her equal joy.

"We've done it all ... I like working with people of any age," she explained.

The health guru assured that people need to think of their own health if they are to accomplish their goals and meet the needs of others in their life.

"It's not selfish to put ourselves first sometimes. We are no good to others if we don't take care of ourselves," said McGuire.

She said daily exercise can be viewed as just one "positive" that keeps people inspired. She is convinced that the endorphins realized through physical exertion make people feel better overall.

McGuire gave a presentation on her thoughts at the New England School Nurses Conference in Portsmouth in May. This spring she will bring her expertise to a presentation at New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord and in June at the National Association of School Nurses Conference in Albuquerque, N.M.

When asked about how people can keep up with or believe in the constant stream of fitness trends these days, she replied by saying people need to think of health in a more simply light.

"Eat less ... do more. There is nothing you need besides your body and your own will," said McGuire.

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